One party turning out, other turning away

Democrat caucus goers form groups to support Clinton or Sanders Saturday at Del Webb Middle School in Henderson. (R-J photo)

Is there an enthusiasm gap?

So far, according to the Washington Times, Democrat turnout is down in all three presidential contests so far compared to 2008, the last time there was a real contest. In Nevada on Saturday only about 80,000 voters participated in the caucuses. That is 33 percent below 2008 turnout.

Republicans, on the other hand, are setting records in the other direction. The GOP primary in South Carolina more than 737,000 people vote — more than 20 percent higher than 2012, when about 603,000 voted.

There were record GOP turnouts in Iowa’s caucuses and New Hampshire’s primary earlier.

It wasn’t really a caucus. It was a primary with paper ballots. I wanted to wait and talk to people in my precinct and talk them out of voting for Trump, but everyone was putting their ballots in the envelopes and leaving, so there would’ve been no one to talk to. I deposited my ballot and left, too.

4TH ST8

"Burke said there were Three Estates in Parliament; but, in the Reporters' Gallery yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate more important far than they all. It is not a figure of speech, or a witty saying; it is a literal fact ... Whoever can speak, speaking now to the whole nation, becomes a power, a branch of government, with inalienable weight in law-making, in all acts of authority. It matters not what rank he has, what revenues or garnitures. the requisite thing is, that he have a tongue which others will listen to ... Democracy virtually extant will insist on becoming palpably extant."